Easter Testamony

This Easter season, we take the opportunity to affirm our personal testimonies of the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are grateful for the fact that our mission gives us the opportunity to join with all of our missionaries in declaring: “He lives.”

We know that the resurrection of Jesus was an essential part of His sacrifice and vicarious suffering on our behalf and on behalf of all of Heavenly Father’s children. We join with the poets in declaring;

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me

Confused at the grace that so fully He proffers me.

I tremble to know that for me He was crucified,

That for me a sinner he suffered and bled and died.

I marvel that He would descend from his throne divine

To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,

That He should extend his great love unto such as I,

Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.

I think of His hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!

Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?

No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,

Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me

Enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful,

Wonderful to me.

(Hymns, #193)

He is risen! He is risen!

Tell it out with joyful voice.

He has burst his three days’ prison;

Let the whole wide earth rejoice.

Death is conquered; man is free

Christ has won the victory.

Come with high and holy hymning;

Chant our Lord’s triumphant lay.

Not one dark-some cloud is dimming

Yonder glorious morning ray,

Breaking o’er the purple east,

Symbol of our Easter feast.

He is risen! He is risen!

He hath opened heaven’s gate.

We are free from sin’s dark prison,

Risen to a holier state.

And a brighter Easter beam

On our longing eyes shall stream.

(Hymns, 199)

We love this season. We joyfully join with all Christendom in celebrating the hope which comes to all of us because of the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We invite all persons to share in this hope and to receive His love and grace.

With love,

The Berretts

Zone Conferences

19 Apr 2014 - found an error. I had the wrong picture for Hyderabad Zone. That now is corrected.

Each quarter we conduct zone conferences with our missionaries. As part of the conference, I try to interview each missionary.

This week, we have been on the road to conduct three conferences for five zones. It has been a rigorous schedule, with three conferences, and many missionary and member interviews in each city.

Hyderabad Zone 

On Sunday evening, we traveled to Hyderabad, where we had our first zone conference on Monday.
 Our emphasis for this quarter is on recognizing the Spirit to aid missionaries in their work. We did some scripture study exercises, and some practice teaching situations. I shared the following experience from two of our missionaries, which illustrates recognizing the Spirit. (I have edited the story slightly to smooth out the English and to protect privacy.)

So last week, on Tuesday, we started our day with effective companionship study and personal study. But I was thinking about the zone training meeting and about what you said that "we need to learn to recognize the spirit." As I was thinking about that I was praying for the help. We left the apartment and our first appointment cancelled. The whole day all our appointments got cancelled. We didn't know what we need to do. At that time, I was thinking like ok, we can go and meet the branch president. We called him and he said he is not free. I was about give up, but a strong feeling came to me saying "go for finding." But we know tracting won't be effective. But I followed that impression and we started to walk, finding Christian homes. As we did, I felt like I need to talk to a brother who was standing outside of his home. I went and spoke to him. He said he is not Christian. We left that home and continued to walk, not knowing where we are going. But I was sure that we were guided by the spirit. After walking for long time we turned to each other and I said "I think God wants us to be more humble." My companion said "its true." Then in my heart I said a prayer like "Father I'm sorry for the things I have done. Please help us." As I finished my prayer, I heard a voice from the next building. A brother called us like "Hey brothers, over here. Are you from the Church of Jesus Christ?" We said "yes." Then he took us to his home. At first we felt uncomfortable because he was drunken on that time. But we shared a small message with him and got a return appointment. On Friday, we got a chance to meet with him. As me and my companion shared restoration of the gospel with him, we felt the spirit so strong and we understood that he is prepared by the Lord. Now, I understand more clearly how the spirit directed work will be. I'm so grateful for this experience

This is exactly the understanding we are trying to help each missionary reach.

On Tuesday, we traveled to Visak for a very uplifting meeting of the combined Visak and Rajahmundry Zones. I did some missionary interviews on Tuesday, followed by several hours of member interviews. 

Rajahmundry and Visakhaputnam Zones

Wednesday after Zone Conference, I finished missionary interviews, conducted a few more member interviews, and then we traveled to Chennai.

On Wednesday, we enjoyed a wonderful conference with the combined Chennai and Coimbatore Zones, followed by some missionary interviews and more member interviews. When we have districts, and not stakes, most of the interviews which would be done by the stake president have to be done by the mission president (or one of his counselors).

Chennai and Coimbatore Zones

Friday brought more member interviews, 8 missionary interviews, and travel back to Bangalore.

Next week we will finish the conference schedule by meeting with our Bangalore missionaries.

Terry (Sister Berrett) is a great help in our doctrinal teaching, in working with the missionaries on health and apartment cleanliness. This round of conferences, we have been encouraging/instructing the missionaries to have a small "emergency" supply of medicines sufficient to treat a few days of the most common ailments (pains, diarrhea, colds, and bacterial infections). While I am interviewing missionaries about their spiritual and emotional welfare, she often is discussing their physical well-being. She often will have several missionaries lined up to see her.

We both are able to keep very busy and involved. We really enjoy meeting with our missionaries and the members around the mission.

I think we will not have much trouble sleeping tonight.

Our Visit to Coimbatore

On 12-16 March 2014, we went to Coimbatore to work with the missionaries and to attend Church in one of the branches. The only challenge is that when the branch president learns that we are coming, he usually plans on us being the speakers. Terry is becoming quite good at speaking in Sacrament Meeting, often without much notice.

Another great benefit of our visits to the districts is that I am able to interview members of the Church, usually for temple recommends or for recommendations for full time missions.

On Thursday, I worked with two sets of missionaries in Coimbatore. I attended the Weekly Planning session on Thursday morning with one set of missionaries. While I was doing this, Terry inspected the apartments of the other missionaries in town. Then Thursday evening we went on three appointments with one of our sister missionary companionships.

These family visits were wonderful. The first was a teaching appointment with the wife of a member of our Church. Husband has been a Church member for several years. His wife now is wanting to learn more about the Church.  The missionaries told us that we were going into the "slums" for this appointment. That meant that we walked down a dirt path to a concrete building where the family lived in a two room place. We entered from the outside into the bedroom. Husband and wife sat on the bed and the missionaries, Terry, and I sat on a bench across from the bed. There was a small kitchen adjacent to the bedroom, and that was their home. I believe the water "faucet" was someplace outside the home, either at the top of he dirt path, or partway down the path, in front of another residence. They seemed quite happy and very comfortable.

The second home we visited was of a member family who the missionaries have been visiting to help with reactivation. I visited the same family about six months ago. We talked about their efforts to be financially ready to attend the temple. Both husband and wife work, though he is starting a new business - construction and remodeling work. The wife is a lecturer in a school. They also live in a two room apartment.

The third home was of some recent converts. Father, Mother and two sons. This family invited us to their two room place, also at the end of a dirt road. They did appear to have an indoor bathroom. We were late getting there, and they had prepared dinner for their guests. The hospitality was most gracious. There was a wonderful spirit in the home.

The next day, we scheduled to travel up into the hill country to a village called Ooty. It has been a place of refuge from the heat for hundreds of years. The road climbs into the mountains, providing some wonderful views. 

 At one point we stopped at an overlook on a very large canyon. We had our picture taken, even though we are not in "missionary attire."

 On our way out of Coimbatore, we passed a man who operates a laundry business. Here you can see him ironing shirts. If you look to his right, you can see his iron. He keeps it hot with charcoal. You can see some burning on a mat on the ground in the bottom left of the picture.

Ironing clothes

 All around Ooty we saw many hillsides covered with tea plants. In several places we saw workers clipping the tea leaves from the top of the bushes.

Harvesting Tea

In Ooty we stayed in a hotel which was first built in 1829. The room where we stayed was constructed in 1840, as I recall. There was a fireplace, which we used, as the temperature in the mountains was much cooler than in the areas where we usually work.

While in Ooty, we went to their local park. There were many displays of flowers. We attended on Saturday, so there were many families and groups of friends. Here are several girls who came together to the park.

In the park, we saw a woman who was sweeping the grass. In India they do not rake the leaves, they simply sweep them.

Early Saturday morning, we went to Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, which is about 1.5 hrs drive from Ooty, over the mountains. We did not see any tigers, but we saw:

Wild Peacocks

Peacock with his tail fanned

Guar - Wild buffalo

Wild Elephant

Herd of Wild Elephants

We also saw deer, wild pigs, monkeys, and many very colorful birds.

We had a wonderful weekend, mixing a day or two in the hills, along with a couple of great days with the missionaries.

Visit of an Apostle and Other General Authorities

A week ago our mission was blessed by a visit by Elder and Sister Holland. They were accompanied by Elder and Sister Hallstrom and Elder and Sister Funk. We were grateful to bring all of our missionaries together for a Mission Conference with the visiting General Authorities.

Our week began in Hong Kong with our semi-annual Mission Presidents' Seminar. We were inspired by the instructions from Elders Holland and Hallstrom and our Area Presidency (Elders Gong, Wilson, and Funk). The instruction, testimonies and meal time associations were wonderful. It is such a great opportunity to associate with the nine other couples who preside over missions in our Area. We learned much.

Our discussions emphasized the key responsibility for mission presidents to help every missionary develop a testimony which runs deep into his or her soul. one of our primary challenges is to help every missionary to have at least one enduring convert - himself or herself. In a later session there was emphasis on the importance of each missionary knowing and feeling the love of the mission president and his wife.

Some of our instruction sessions included "The Doctrine of High Priests", a necessary component for helping districts become prepared to be stakes. Here we focused on Alma 13. We discussed the Doctrine of Christ and how it is the foundation for the work of Salvation. We talked about increasing expectations for our missionaries and for our members. We discussed the work of salvation.

Finally, we were blessed by concluding instruction and testimonies by Sister and Elder Hallstrom, followed by Sister and Elder Holland. The conclusion of their instruction was an apostolic blessing from Elder Holland. We were humbled as he blessed us. We could feel that he was speaking on behalf of the Savior, whose special witness he is.

Then the group came to Bangalore. We began our mission conference with a session where the missionaries were instructed by each other, Sister Berrett and me. We talked about the Doctrine of Christ, and how the central element is obedience - the Savior was obedient in that He came to do the will of His Father and we must be obedient as we follow the commandments of the Savior.

Following this session, we adjourned to the cultural hall of the building for a picture of the entire mission. We were joined by the visiting General Authorities and their wives.

28 Feb 2014 India Bangalore Mission

The session which followed was a once in a lifetime experience for most of our missionaries. The General Authorities and their wives lined up to shake hands with the missionaries. For Elder and Sister Funk, this was "coming home" as many of our missionaries served with them. As Elder Holland spoke to the missionaries, he commented that while shaking hands, he had interviewed each missionary by looking into their eyes. He then stated that this is a pretty good group of missionaries. Only one or two of them seemed to be struggling. Based on what I know of the missionaries, he was spot on.

I know that what the missionaries were taught has the potential to impact the rest of their mission and the rest of their lives. Many of them have commented on this in their letters.

The mission conference was followed by a Young Single Adult conference for YSA in the Bangalore District. We had about 175 young people assemble to be taught and inspired.  It was a great session.

The next day, after the missionaries departed back to their areas, we gathered together in a Priesthood Leadership Conference for all of the District Presidencies across India and Sri Lanka. The session was broadcast to Priesthood Leaders in Pakistan. After several hours of instruction including a wonderful question and answer session, Elder Holland said he felt impressed to do something he had not previously done. Since our group was relatively small - about 45 people - he had us all come to the front of the chapel and kneel together. He then offered the closing prayer for the meeting. It was both a prayer and a blessing. The Spirit was powerful and every one there was touched.

For Sunday the general authorities divided up and held special Stake/District Conferences in Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Bangalore. We stayed in Bangalore with Elder and Sister Holland.

As would be expected, the attendance was grand - about 770 people. Certainly, more people in attendance than when I preside at a district conference.

2 Mar 2014 Special District Conference

The program was excellent. We especially enjoyed the Sisters Choir, which you can see seated behind us. We just love their beautiful saris.

We had the opportunity to speak, which is a fairly intimidating assignment when there is a member of the Twelve behind you and you know he will follow you. But, Elder Holland was most gracious and we did not embarrass ourselves. I particularly am impressed with how Terry (Sister Berrett) is rising to the challenge of speaking in almost every meeting we attend. She has become a master of the 7-10 minute "on the spot" gospel message.

2 Mar 2014 Special District Conference

2 Mar 2014 Special District Conference

Late Sunday evening the Hollands departed for their trip back to Utah. We feel so blessed to have had them and the other general authorities in our mission for a few days. One of the common comments we have heard is "Good things happen when an Apostle visits a country." We expect such to be the case for India.